It's all about the journey

Friday - September 6

Swim

26m 59s

1038.93 yards

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w/u 100 breast
5 x 100 free RI :30
350 kicking w/fins

Stats taken after swim and before getting something else to eat, %water 59.6 (so probably a bit of morning dehydration). As planned morning swim. Just decided on a few 100s and then some kicking with new Z2 Zoomer fins. Those are totally different than the others and really don't provide as much oomph pure kick. See if they help with my ankles and also will hopefully remember to use them during the clinic on the 15th.

Leaving for Cedar Point in a little over 3 hours. Will be at race site tomorrow and race is on Sunday. While I'll be attempting a PR for the distance, goal is to finish and also have fun. While this is not going to be a hot race and weather is looking pretty decent overall, there does look to be headwinds coming back on the bike which could slow me down. Let's hope they really don't start kicking up until I'm on the run. Plus I will have some nice aero wheels on for the race if Rev3 folks come through with them and hopefully, those will help me slice through the air a bit better than my present wheels.

Might make an entry tomorrow. But, if not, more after that race, probably on Monday as it looks like we may be driving back not too long after the race. Wish me luck!!

Thursday - September 5

Bike

45m 17s

10.43 miles

13.82 Mi/hr

The YMCA Women's Sprint bike course

Run

33m 07s

3.57 miles

09m 16s /Mi

Through Middletown and Foxfield.

Stats taken after workout and before dinner, %water 60.3. One of the club members asked if anyone was interested in a light brick this evening and I decided that I would join her plus whoever else came out. The course is the YMCA Women's Sprint Tri which is coming up this month and is only 10 miles. Then she said about doing 6 for the run but that was too much for me this evening and as it turned out, only did the distance indicated. The bike is rolling and not too difficult. Took it easy because had 3 women riding as well and they weren't going quite as fast. I didn't really want to push on the brick anyway since I'm in taper mode. Nice evening for a ride too! Moved to the run and like I said, we took it pretty easy as well as kept the overall distance down. Legs/feet felt pretty good and I felt like I could go a lot faster if I wanted, which is a good sign. Enjoyed the company too.

Tomorrow: Easy swim perhaps only 500 - 700 and then kicking with fins, see my chiropractor, finish packing, get to Kens and go to race site

Wednesday - September 4

Bike

1h 23m 38s

22.30 miles

16.00 Mi/hr

Out to Fish Hatchery and back on Hessong Bridge

Just a note that I was REALLY trying to get into IM Chattanooga today. I think I was close once, but the page changed to not available when I clicked continue meaning someone else was faster than me. Kept trying and after just under 2 hours, individual registration changed from General Entry to Foundation at twice the cost ($1300, yikes!). Well, I will sign up for IM Louisville then but I think I have time since that usually doesn't sell out very quickly. I think it was July or early August when it finally did this year and the race is in late August. I'll have to keep checking to ensure I can get in. Well more later, but really just doing an easy ride....

Stats taken after ride and before dinner, %water 60.3. A VERY nice evening for a ride! Made up a bit for not getting into IMCH. But, perhaps some of the competition will be redirected there. I have illusions of attempting to qualify for Kona but pretty much a pipe dream. Still, if I could dedicate myself to it, who knows? Gonna to have to really work to get my weight and then my swimming time down in order to be THAT competitive. Well, in the word so Ironman, anything's possible. Enjoyed the ride but I am a bit sore here and there plus the upper part of my left foot kinda twinged in a bit of pain. Went away but I'm concerned as I usually get prior to a big race.

Tomorrow: I thinking of an easy brick with friends in Middletown - 10 mile ride, 3-4 mile jog. Pack for the trip.

Friday: swim but easy, plus try out new Z2 Zoomer fins! Visit my chiropractor, finish packing, get to Ken's, leave and arrive at race site

Tuesday - September 3

Stats taken after run and before dinner, %water 60.3. As planned, swim and run today. In taper mode and I didn't do anything real special. Back at the indoor pool - YEA! Pushed during at least one of the 100s and did easy/hard for the last one. Tried some kicking but my left calf was cramping. So cut those earlier than I would've wanted. Then moved onto the run. As pace indicates, took this REAL easy. And I forgot to tape my toe, so it was bothering me at the end. Can't forget to do that on Sunday and will do so for the last run on Thurs.

Tomorrow, Ironman Chattanooga registration opens. I am very much on the fence about trying to register for it. I want to go but I'm just not sure. Even one of my best friends called me back when I talked about it to say to go to Chattanooga rather than Louisville. I think I'm going to attempt to register when it opens at noon tomorrow, so stay tuned...

Tomorrow: last ride, easy ride probably up to Mountaindale or Fish Hatchery and back.

Thurs: easy 3-4 mile run, though I'm thinking about joining some folks to do the Women's Sprint Tri course in Middletown just for some company. Would cut the run short though. Pack during the evening.

Fri: morning swim, chiropractor, get to Ken's, and leave for the race site

Monday - September 2

Rest day and I need it. I may do some stretching or yoga flexibility DVD later. Mostly just doing errands that I've been neglecting, like cleaning hydration bottles ;) . The rest of the week I'll be tapering for Sunday's race, which I'm looking forward to. I haven't done a pure Half Iron since Savageman (as Muncie was a modified Olympic) and I'm hoping to PR the distance here. Will see. More later...

Sunday - September 1

Bike

2h 28m 54s

33.94 miles

13.68 Mi/hr

The Half Full 40 Tri bike course in Columbia, MD

Welcome to September! Gosh, where did Summer go???

Just a quick note this morning that I received an email from USAT that, based on my performance at the Maryland Olympic Duathlon, invited me to the USAT AG National Duathlon Championship in Tuscon AZ! I'd love to go, but added up all the costs involved, thought about my finish at the USAT tri AG Nationals, paying for a new bike next year, and putting together a winter vacation. All said and done, I can't justify going. I'd much rather go to Aruba that I'm thinking about in January and I'm considering one sweet bike to celebrate my new AG for 2014 too. Gotta get priorities straight here. It's neat that I was invited considering the foot problem I had, though. Perhaps next year when I'm actually competing at that level.

Today I am planning to bike the Half Full Tri bike course with Jenn, but that may change as her daughter wasn't feeling very well last night. I still may go by myself. I thought about a long run but I think I want to give my foot a rest. Been working it rather hard and need to have it feeling great come next Sunday. More later...

Stats taken a few hours after the ride and also after getting a snack plus a pint of beer. As planned, did the Half Full Tri course with my friend Jenn. This is also the Columbia Tri bike course plus more to make it 32+ miles. As indicated, Jenn was able to go and ride the course. Jenn is timid on downhills as this is her first year with aerobars and actually she doesn't use them downhill (only on flats). Which I told her today that's a shame because she glides up the hills pretty well due to her lower weight with her fairly nice bike. I told her today that she'd be a "force to be reckoned with if she'd only go downhill on her aerobars". Her forte is also running as that's her background. Got early to the park and started off...but, had to go back to get my water bottles :( Silly me. I actually think I might've been okay because as you can tell, I was taking the course at Jenn's speed vs mine and only really taking the downhills fast. So, while I was working up a sweat, it was more from the outdoor heat than the ride. But, I wanted to ensure she was comfortable with this course as we'll both be facing it come Oct 6. And as I suspected she would, she was fine with most of the course. The only thing that got to her was the heat as it was in the upper 80s during the latter part of the course.

We grabbed a bite to eat on the way back and then visited a farm which recently opened it's own brewery! That was cool and the beer was very nice after the ride. Enjoyed it in the hot sun - AAAAaaahh! Tasted SO good! Good carb replenishment too ;)

Saturday - August 31

Out and back on WMRT from parking lot to MP 3, might be just a tad longer from parking lot.

Stats taken a while after getting done with the brick and after getting something to drink, %water 60.2. As planned, probably the last OWS practice of the season because Ken Racine gets pretty busy this time of the year with all the events he's involved in plus his family life as well. Water was a comfortable 74 today and so wetsuit was okay the whole time. LOTS of folks here today because there are a good number of races either next weekend or the following ones and folks were taking advantage of it like myself. So, a bit more like conditions in a race. I actually did pretty good and was pushing here and there. Lost count, though, and wasn't sure if I really did the 12 laps I set out to do or not. But, I checked my pace from last Tues and it looked like I should've completed the 12 based on that and my time today.

Then move on to the brick. I had kinda made up my mind to take care of some errands first and then do a 52/7 on 194 this afternoon since it would be hot and humid, which I train in so I can adapt to such conditions for upcoming races if they're also hot. But, Ken decided that he would like to join me to get a good flat ride in as he had time and wasn't going to ride with the other guy that's coming with us out to Rev 3. Though the distance is a bit shorter (and I could've done 6 more miles on the bike for 50), agreed to meet Ken at the eastern trailhead. It's not really hot but it is humid and quite warm with sun and temps in the low 80s. So sweating just preparing to ride. The trail is well shaded but even so, one can still work up a good sweat especially if it gets humid which it did. Kinda nice having someone to ride with during training for once. So Ken and I talked about next Sunday's race as he was the one that convinced me to go since his sister (or cousins?) live practically 10 min from the race venue. It was good intel and I'm starting to get excited about going!

After we were done on the bike, we talked for a bit more and then Ken had to get back to family business for the rest of the day. Said goodbyes and I headed out on the run portion of the brick. Now, I would like to do 7:30s on the run course or at least sub-8s since I did 8:05 pace during my best half. So, after the first mile, I kicked things up. But, this was much too soon and I'm going to have to remember this during the race if I don't feel comfortable doing it. Probably the humidity I wasn't exactly used to either but after mile 2, I was having difficulty maintaining. Reached MP 3 under 16 which meant I was at least sub-8. But at mile 4, I decided I couldn't maintain and no sense in killing myself here. So throttled back until mile 5 where I picked things up again but not to the pace I was earlier. Decent pace overall, but I just wish I could feel comfortable going a bit faster. See what race day holds because I'm a different person when I'm racing it seems.

Sunday: If the rain holds off, I'm going to preview the Half Full bike course with Jenn. It's more for her than for me because the course is similar to Columbia Tri which I've done.

Monday: OFF...I really do need it and will be taking this week taper seriously so everything's fresh come Sunday.

Tues: swim and easy run 5 miles

Wed: easy bike

Thur: easy run 3-4 miles

Fri: morning swim, pack, leave for race site, and arrive later that night

Sat: At race site..might convince Ken to do a short practice swim but more important to drive the bike course